# US 2017/0285274 A1 · Optical connector and method for connecting optical fiber cables > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0285274 A1 - Document ID: US20170285274A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/474,209 - Filed: 2017-03-30 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-04 - Assignees: Hirose Electric Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Hirose Electric Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shinichi Matsumoto; Yoshiyuki Hiyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285274A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/3874: {using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules} - G02B 6/3821: {with axial spring biasing or loading means (G02B6/3847 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/3851: {Ferrules having keying or coding means} - G02B 6/3891: {Bayonet type} - G02B 6/3893: {Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optical connector includes a sleeve that positions a front end portion of a first ferrule and a front end portion of a second ferrule so as to face each other on the same axis, a first connection retaining member and a second connection retaining member that maintain a state in which the front end portions of the first and second ferrules contact each other and press against each other, and a coil spring that generates a force with which the front end portions of the first and second ferrules press against each other. Optical fiber cables can be connected to each other by containing the first ferrule and the second ferrule, which are attached to the sleeve, respectively in the first connection retaining member and the second connection retaining member and by coupling the first connection retaining member and the second connection retaining member to each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical connector comprising: a positioning member that is attached to a front end portion of a first ferrule attached to a first optical fiber cable and to a front end portion of a second ferrule attached to a second optical fiber cable, the positioning member positioning the front end portion of the first ferrule and the front end portion of the second ferrule so as to face each other on the same axis; a first connection retaining member and a second connection retaining member that maintain a state in which the front end portion of the first ferrule and the front end portion of the second ferrule contact each other and press against each other; and an elastic member that generates a force with which the front end portion of the first ferrule and the front end portion of the second ferrule press against each other, wherein the first connection retaining member includes a first housing, a first containing portion that is a hole extending through a central portion of the first housing in an axial direction and that contains therein the first ferrule to which the positioning member is attached, a first pressing portion that is disposed in the first housing and that presses the first ferrule contained in the first containing portion toward the second ferrule in the axial direction, a first coupling portion that is disposed on the first housing and that is separably coupled to the second connection retaining member, and a first slit that extends through a peripheral portion of the first housing in the axial direction, that connects an inside of the first containing portion and an outside of the first housing to each other, and that has a width greater than or equal to an outside diameter of the first optical fiber cable, wherein the second connection retaining member includes a second housing, a second containing portion that is a hole extending through a central portion of the second housing in the axial direction and that contains therein the second ferrule to which the positioning member is attached, a second pressing portion that is disposed in the second housing and that presses the second ferrule contained in the second containing portion toward the first ferrule in the axial direction, a second coupling portion that is disposed in the second housing and that is separably coupled to the first coupling portion, and a second slit that extends through a peripheral portion of the second housing in the axial direction, that connects an inside of the second containing portion and an outside of the second housing to each other, and that has a width greater than or equal to an outside diameter of the second optical fiber cable, and wherein the elastic member is disposed at at least one of a position between the first ferrule and the first pressing portion and a position between the second ferrule and the second pressing portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the first pressing portion is a step portion where a diameter of the hole that forms the first containing portion is reduced, and the second pressing portion is a step portion where a diameter of the hole that forms the second containing portion is reduced. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling portion protrudes from a front end portion of the first housing in the axial direction, the second coupling portion is a hole formed in a front end portion of the second housing so as to extend in the axial direction, and the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are coupled to each other as the first coupling portion is fitted into the second coupling portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion each include an engagement mechanism that maintains a state in which the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are coupled to each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the positioning member has a cylindrical shape or a bar-like shape having a C-shaped cross section, and the positioning member is contained in the first connection retaining member or in the second connection retaining member in a state in which the front end portion of the first ferrule is inserted into the positioning member from one end portion of the positioning member and the front end portion of the second ferrule is inserted into the positioning member from the other end portion of the positioning member. ### Claim 6 An optical connector comprising: a positioning member that is attached to a front end portion of a ferrule attached to an optical fiber cable, the positioning member positioning the front end portion of the ferrule so as to face a front end portion of a mating ferrule on the same axis; a connection retaining member that maintains, by being coupled to a mating ferrule holding member that holds the mating ferrule, a state in which the front end portion of the ferrule contacts the front end portion of the mating ferrule while applying a pressing force to the front end portion of the mating ferrule; and an elastic member that generates the pressing force that the front end portion of the ferrule applies to the front end portion of the mating ferrule, wherein the connection retaining member includes a housing, a containing portion that is a hole extending through a central portion of the housing in an axial direction and that contains therein the ferrule to which the positioning member is attached, a pressing portion that is disposed in the housing and that presses the ferrule contained in the containing portion toward the mating ferrule in the axial direction, a coupling portion that is disposed on the housing and that is separably coupled to the mating ferrule holding member, and a slit that extends through a peripheral portion of the housing in the axial direction, that connects an inside of the containing portion and an outside of the housing to each other, and that has a width greater than or equal to an outside diameter of the optical fiber cable, and wherein the elastic member is disposed at a position between the ferrule and the pressing portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical connector according to claim 6, wherein the pressing portion is a step portion where a diameter of the hole that forms the containing portion is reduced. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The optical connector according to claim 6, wherein the coupling portion includes an engagement mechanism that maintains a state in which the coupling portion is coupled to the mating ferrule holding member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The optical connector according to claim 6, wherein the positioning member has a cylindrical shape or a bar-like shape having a C-shaped cross section, and the front end portion of the ferrule is inserted into the positioning member. ### Claim 10 A method for connecting a first optical fiber cable and a second optical fiber cable to each other by using an optical connector, the optical connector including a positioning member that positions a front end portion of a first ferrule and a front end portion of a second ferrule, a first connection retaining member including a first containing portion and a first slit that connects an inside of the first containing portion and an outside of the first containing portion to each other, a second connection retaining member including a second containing portion and a second slit that connects an inside of the second containing portion and an outside of the second containing portion to each other, an elastic member, and an engagement mechanism that engages the first connection retaining member and the second connection retaining member with each other, the method comprising: a positioning step of positioning the front end portion of the first ferrule and the front end portion of the second ferrule so as to face each other on the same axis by attaching the front end portion of the first ferrule, to a rear end portion of which the first optical fiber cable and the elastic member are attached, to one end portion of the positioning member and by attaching the front end portion of the second ferrule, to a rear end portion of which the second optical fiber cable is attached, to the other end portion of the positioning member; a containing step of passing the first optical fiber cable through the first slit and placing the first ferrule, which has been attached to the one end portion of the positioning member, and the elastic member into the first containing portion, and passing the second optical fiber cable through the second slit and placing the second ferrule, which has been attached to the other end portion of the positioning member, into the second containing portion; a pressing step of causing the front end portion of the first ferrule and the front end portion of the second ferrule to contact each other and press against each other by pressing the first connection retaining member and the second connection retaining member against each other and elastically deforming the elastic member while placing the positioning member into the first connection retaining member or into the second connection retaining member; and an engagement step of engaging the first connection retaining member and the second connection retaining member with each other by using the engagement mechanism while maintaining a state in which the front end portion of the first ferrule and front end portion of the second ferrule contact each other and press against each other.